By: Lackson Kanyoza
With only 10 days remaining before the start of 2016 TNM Super League season, Super League of Malawi (SULOM) have reversed its earlier decision for players’ names to be written on their Jerseys.
The prompted idea have been withdrawn following clubs non-committal to give names and numbers of their players to appear on their personal kits.
SULOM last month asked all TNM super league teams to submit names of their 20 first teams’ selection but according to Sulom General Secretary Williams Banda, to date, no team has honoured the request.
He said “SULOM and the sponsors TNM we are not to blame. We requested all the teams to send us their names but no team has honoured the request. It seems they are not serious so we have withdrawn the idea,” Banda said.
Asking why they have failed to submit the names to the FA, Blue Eagles team manager Gabriel Chirwa said the time period required for them to do so was not enough for them since they were still in a process of selecting the players.
“As for Blue Eagles, indeed, we failed to send our list just because we were busy selecting the players. As you know we played many of our friendly matches with regional teams in order to track players so we were busy selecting the final players. Right now, we have 22 players who are going to play for our team this season and we are ready to send them the names and numbers.
“Of course the FA has withdrawn the idea but for us we think the time given to the teams were too short to assemble a final squad,” said Chirwa.
On his part, Civo united Coach Millius Jegwe Pofera said “As a coach I submitted my final list to our General Secretary, so if you contact him he will be in a better position to answer,” he said.
An attempt to speak to Civo GS Chiyamiko Lita proved futile as his mobile phone went unanswered after several attempts.
Previously, SULOM President Innocent Botomani said the introduction of having players’ names and numbers written on their jerseys is important because,” it will make the line-ups easily known by the press and the public to identify the players ,’’
The Premier division since its inception in 1986, the teams have been playing without player’s names on the back of their jerseys.
Stupid chonchi ndiye tizidabwa